Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the militia to open a humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian army servicemen who have been encircled by militia forces, the Kremlin press service reported early on Friday morning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the militia to open a humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian army servicemen who have been encircled by militia forces, the Kremlin press service reported early on Friday morning.

"I call on militia forces to open a humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian servicemen who have found themselves encircled in order to prevent any meaningless loss of life, give them a chance to leave areas of fighting unhindered, rejoin their families, return to their mothers, wives and children and urgently extend medical care to soldiers injured as a result of the army operation," the Russian leader said in an overnight message.

"It is obvious that the militia has secured serious successes in suppressing Kiev's army operation, which is posing a deadly threat to the population of Donbass and has already resulted in an enormous death toll among civilians. As a result of the militia's activities, a large number of Ukrainian servicemen, who are not participating in this army operation by their own free will, but are simply obeying orders, have found themselves encircled," he said.

Russia will be ready to send more humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine's population suffering from a humanitarian catastrophe today, he added.